Book of Household Management — 070 - Recipes. Chapter 29. Part 4.

[Illustration: OMELET.

] _Mode_.

--Break the eggs into a basin, omitting the whites of 3, and beat them up with the salt and pepper until extremely light; then add 2 oz.

of the butter broken into small pieces, and stir this into the mixture.

Put the other 2 oz.

of butter into a frying-pan, make it quite hot, and, as soon as it begins to bubble, whisk the eggs, &c. very briskly for a minute or two, and pour them into the pan; stir the omelet with a spoon one way until the mixture thickens and becomes firm, and when the whole is set, fold the edges over, so that the omelet assumes an oval form;

and when it is nicely brown on one side, and quite firm, it is done.

To take off the rawness on the upper side, hold the pan before the fire for a minute or two, and brown it with a salamander or hot shovel.

Serve very expeditiously on a very hot dish, and never cook it until it is just wanted.

The flavour of this omelet may be very much enhanced by adding minced parsley, minced onion or eschalot, or grated cheese, allowing 1 tablespoonful of the former, and half the quantity of the latter, to the above proportion of eggs.

Shrimps or oysters may also be added: the latter should be scalded in their liquor, and then bearded and cut into small pieces.

In making an omelet, be particularly careful that it is not too thin, and, to avoid this, do not make it in too large a frying-pan, as the mixture would then spread too much, and taste of the outside.

It should also not be greasy, burnt, or too much done, and should be cooked over a gentle fire, that the whole of the substance may be heated without drying up the outside.

Omelets are sometimes served with gravy; but _this should never be poured over them_, but served in a tureen, as the liquid causes the omelet to become heavy and flat, instead of eating light and soft.

In making the gravy, the flavour should not overpower that of the omelet, and should be thickened with arrowroot or rice flour.

_Time_.

--With 6 eggs, in a frying-pan 18 or 20 inches round, 4 to 6 minutes.

_Average cost_, 9d.

_Sufficient_ for 4 persons.

_Seasonable_ at any time.

HAM OMELET (_A delicious Breakfast Dish_.

) 1457. INGREDIENTS.

--6 eggs, 4 oz.

of butter, 1/2 saltspoonful of pepper, 2 tablespoonfuls of minced ham.

_Mode_.

--Mince the ham very finely, without any fat, and fry it for 2 minutes in a little butter; then make the batter for the omelet, stir in the ham, and proceed as directed in recipe No. 1456. Do not add any salt to the batter, as the ham is usually sufficiently salt to impart a flavour to the omelet.

Good lean bacon, or tongue, answers equally well for this dish; but they must also be slightly cooked previously to mixing them with the batter.

Serve very hot and quickly, without gravy.

_Time_.

--From 4 to 6 minutes.

_Average cost_, 1s.

_Sufficient_ for 4 persons.

_Seasonable_ at any time.

KIDNEY OMELET (_A favourite French dish_.

) 1458. INGREDIENTS.

--6 eggs, 1 saltspoonful of salt, 1/2 saltspoonful of pepper, 2 sheep's kidneys, or 2 tablespoonfuls of minced veal kidney, 5 oz.

of butter.

_Mode_.

--Skin the kidneys, cut them into small dice, and toss them in a frying-pan, in 1 oz.

of butter, over the fire for 2 or 3 minutes.

Mix

the ingredients for the omelet the same as in recipe No. 1456, and when the eggs are well whisked, stir in the pieces of kidney.

Make the butter hot in the frying-pan, and when it bubbles, pour in the omelet, and fry it over a gentle fire from 4 to 6 minutes.

When the eggs are set, fold the edges over, so that the omelet assumes an oval form, and be careful that it is not too much done: to brown the top, hold the pan before the fire for a minute or two, or use a salamander until the desired colour is obtained, but never turn an omelet in the pan.

Slip it carefully on to a _very hot_ dish, or, what is a much safer method, put a dish on the omelet, and turn the pan quickly over.

It should be served the instant it comes from the fire.

_Time_.

--4 to 6 minutes.

_Average cost_, 1s.

_Sufficient_ for 4 persons.

_Seasonable_ at any time.

TO MAKE A PLAIN SWEET OMELET.

1459. INGREDIENTS.

--6 eggs, 4 oz.

of butter, 2 oz.

of sifted sugar.

_Mode_.

--Break the eggs into a basin, omitting the whites of 3; whisk them well, adding the sugar and 2 oz.

of the butter, which should be broken into small pieces, and stir all these ingredients well together.

Make the remainder of the butter quite hot in a small frying-pan, and when it commences to bubble, pour in the eggs, &c. Keep stirring them until they begin to set; then turn the edges of the omelet over, to make it an oval shape, and finish cooking it.

To brown the top, hold the pan before the fire, or use a salamander, and turn it carefully on to a _very hot_ dish: sprinkle sifted sugar over, and serve.

_Time_.

--From 4 to 6 minutes.

_Average cost_, 10d.

_Sufficient_ for 4 persons.

_Seasonable_ at any time.

OMELETTE AUX CONFITURES, or JAM OMELET.

1460. INGREDIENTS.

--6 eggs, 4 oz.

of butter, 3 tablespoonfuls of apricot, strawberry, or any jam that may be preferred.

_Mode_.

--Make the omelet by recipe No. 1459, only instead of doubling it over, leave it flat in the pan.

When quite firm, and nicely brown on one side, turn it carefully on to a hot dish, spread over the middle of it the jam, and fold the omelet over on each side; sprinkle sifted sugar over, and serve very quickly.

A pretty dish of small omelets may be made by dividing the batter into 3 or 4 portions, and frying them separately;

they should then be spread each one with a different kind of preserve, and the omelets rolled over.

Always sprinkle sweet omelets with sifted sugar before being sent to table.

_Time_.

--4 to 6 minutes.

_Average cost_, 1s.

2d.

_Sufficient_ for 4 persons.

_Seasonable_ at any time.

OMELETTE SOUFFLÉ.

1461. INGREDIENTS.

--6 eggs, 5 oz.

of pounded sugar, flavouring of vanilla, orange-flower water, or lemon-rind, 3 oz.

of butter, 1 dessert-spoonful of rice-flour.

_Mode_.

--Separate the yolks from the whites of the eggs, add to the former the sugar, the rice-flour, and either of the above flavourings that may be preferred, and stir these ingredients well together.

Whip the whites of the eggs, mix them lightly with the batter, and put the butter into a small frying-pan.

As soon as it begins to bubble, pour the batter into it, and set the pan over a bright but gentle fire; and when the omelet is set, turn the edges over to make it an oval shape, and slip it on to a silver dish, which has been previously well buttered.

Put it in the oven, and bake from 12 to 15 minutes; sprinkle finely-powdered sugar over the soufflé, and _serve it immediately_.

_Time_.

--About 4 minutes in the pan; to bake, from 12 to 15 minutes.

_Average cost_.

1s.

_Sufficient_ for 3 or 4 persons.

_Seasonable_ at any time.

BACHELOR'S OMELET.

1462. INGREDIENTS.

--2 or 3 eggs, 2 oz.

of butter, 1 teaspoonful of flour, 1/2 teacupful of milk.

_Mode_.

--Make a thin cream of the flour and milk; then beat up the eggs, mix all together, and add a pinch of salt and a few grains of cayenne.

Melt the butter in a small frying-pan, and, when very hot, pour in the batter.

Let the pan remain for a few minutes over a clear fire; then sprinkle upon the omelet some chopped herbs and a few shreds of onion;

double the omelet dexterously, and shake it out of the pan on to a hot dish.

A simple sweet omelet can be made by the same process, substituting sugar or preserve for the chopped herbs.

_Time_.

--2 minutes.

_Average cost_, 6d.

_Sufficient_ for 2 persons.

_Seasonable_ at any time.

ORANGE CREAM.

1463. INGREDIENTS.

--1 oz.

of isinglass, 6 large oranges, 1 lemon, sugar to taste, water, 1/2 pint of good cream.

[Illustration: OPEN MOULD.

] _Mode_.

--Squeeze the juice from the oranges and lemon; strain it, and put it into a saucepan with the isinglass, and sufficient water to make in all 1-1/2 pint.

Rub the sugar on the orange and lemon-rind, add it to the other ingredients, and boil all together for about 10 minutes.

Strain through a muslin bag, and, when cold, beat up with it 1/2 pint of thick cream.

Wet a mould, or soak it in cold water; pour in the cream, and put it in a cool place to set.

If the weather is very cold, 1 oz.

of isinglass will be found sufficient for the above proportion of ingredients.

_Time_.

--10 minutes to boil the juice and water.

_Average cost_, with the best isinglass, 3s.

_Sufficient_ to fill a quart mould.

_Seasonable_ from November to May.

ORANGE CREAMS.

1464. INGREDIENTS.

--1 Seville orange, 1 tablespoonful of brandy, 1/4 lb.

of loaf sugar, the yolks of 4 eggs, 1 pint of cream.

_Mode_.

--Boil the rind of the Seville orange until tender, and beat it in a mortar to a pulp; add to it the brandy, the strained juice of the orange, and the sugar, and beat all together for about 10 minutes, adding the well-beaten yolks of eggs.

Bring the cream to the boiling-point, and pour it very gradually to the other ingredients, and beat the mixture till nearly cold; put it into custard-cups, place the cups in a deep dish of boiling water, where let them remain till quite cold.

Take the cups out of the water, wipe them, and garnish the tops of the creams with candied orange-peel or preserved chips.

_Time_.

--Altogether, 3/4 hour.

_Average cost_, with cream at 1s.

per pint, 1s.

7d.

_Sufficient_ to make 7 or 8 creams.

_Seasonable_ from November to May.

_Note_.

--To render this dish more economical, substitute milk for the cream, but add a small pinch of isinglass to make the creams firm.

SEVILLE ORANGE (_Citrus vulgaris_).

--This variety, called also _bitter orange_, is of the same species as the sweet orange, and grows in great abundance on the banks of the Guadalquiver, in Andalusia, whence this fruit is chiefly obtained.

In that part of Spain there are very extensive orchards of these oranges, which form the chief wealth of the monasteries.

The pulp of the bitter orange is not eaten raw.

In the yellow rind, separated from the white spongy substance immediately below it, is contained an essential oil, which is an agreeable warm aromatic, much superior for many purposes to that of the common orange.

The best marmalade and the richest wine are made from this orange; and from its flowers the best orange-flower water is distilled.

Seville oranges are also preserved whole as a sweetmeat.

ORANGE FRITTERS.

1465. INGREDIENTS.

--For the batter, 1/2 lb.

of flour, 1/2 oz.

of butter, 1/2 saltspoonful of salt, 2 eggs, milk, oranges, hot lard or clarified dripping.

_Mode_.

--Make a nice light batter with the above proportion of flour, butter, salt, eggs, and sufficient milk to make it the proper consistency; peel the oranges, remove as much of the white skin as possible, and divide each orange into eight pieces, without breaking the thin skin, unless it be to remove the pips; dip each piece of orange in the batter.

Have ready a pan of boiling lard or clarified dripping; drop in the oranges, and fry them a delicate brown from 8 to 10 minutes.

When done, lay them on a piece of blotting-paper before the fire, to drain away the greasy moisture, and dish them on a white d'oyley; sprinkle over them plenty of pounded sugar, and serve quickly.

_Time_.

--8 to 10 minutes to fry the fritters; 5 minutes to drain them.

_Average cost_, 9d.

_Sufficient_ for 4 or 5 persons.

_Seasonable_ from November to May.

A PRETTY DISH OF ORANGES.

1466. INGREDIENTS.

--6 large oranges, 1/2 lb.

of loaf sugar, 1/4 pint of water, 1/2 pint of cream, 2 tablespoonfuls of any kind of liqueur, sugar to taste.

_Mode_.

--Put the sugar and water into a saucepan, and boil them until the sugar becomes brittle, which may be ascertained by taking up a small quantity in a spoon, and dipping it in cold water; if the sugar is sufficiently boiled, it will easily snap.

Peel the oranges, remove as much of the white pith as possible, and divide them into nice-sized slices, without breaking the thin white skin which surrounds the juicy pulp.

Place the pieces of orange on small skewers, dip them into the hot sugar, and arrange them in layers round a plain mould, which should be well oiled with the purest salad-oil.

The sides of the mould only should be lined with the oranges, and the centre left open for the cream.

Let the sugar become firm by cooling; turn the oranges carefully out on a dish, and fill the centre with whipped cream, flavoured with any kind of liqueur, and sweetened with pounded sugar.

This is an exceedingly ornamental and nice dish for the supper-table.

_Time_.

--10 minutes to boil the sugar.

_Average cost_, 1s.

8d.

_Sufficient_ for 1 mould.

_Seasonable_ from November to May.

TO MAKE PANCAKES.

1467. INGREDIENTS.

--Eggs, flour, milk; to every egg allow 1 oz.

of flour, about 1 gill of milk, 1/8 saltspoonful of salt.

[Illustration: PANCAKES.

] _Mode_.

--Ascertain that the eggs are fresh; break each one separately in a cup; whisk them well, put them into a basin, with the flour, salt, and a few drops of milk, and beat the whole to a perfectly _smooth_ batter;

then add by degrees the remainder of the milk.

The proportion of this latter ingredient must be regulated by the size of the eggs, &c. &c. ;

but the batter, when ready for frying, should be of the consistency of thick cream.

Place a small frying-pan on the fire to get hot; let it be delicately clean, or the pancakes will stick, and, when quite hot, put into it a small piece of butter, allowing about 1/2 oz.

to each pancake.

When it is melted, pour in the batter, about 1/2 teacupful to a pan 5 inches in diameter, and fry it for about 4 minutes, or until it is nicely brown on one side.

By only pouring in a small quantity of batter, and so making the pancakes thin, the necessity of turning them (an operation rather difficult to unskilful cooks) is obviated.

When the pancake is done, sprinkle over it some pounded sugar, roll it up in the pan, and take it out with a large slice, and place it on a dish before the fire.

Proceed in this manner until sufficient are cooked for a dish;

then send them quickly to table, and continue to send in a further quantity, as pancakes are never good unless eaten almost immediately they come from the frying-pan.

The batter may be flavoured with a little grated lemon-rind, or the pancakes may have preserve rolled in them instead of sugar.

Send sifted sugar and a cut lemon to table with them.

To render the pancakes very light, the yolks and whites of the eggs should be beaten separately, and the whites added the last thing to the batter before frying.

_Time_.

--from 4 to 6 minutes for a pancake that does not require turning; from 6 to 8 minutes for a thicker one.

_Average cost_, for 3 persons, 6d.

_Sufficient.

_--Allow 3 eggs, with the other ingredients in proportion, for 3 persons.

_Seasonable_ at any time, but specially served on Shrove Tuesday.

RICHER PANCAKES.

1468. INGREDIENTS.

--6 eggs, 1 pint of cream, 1/4 lb.

of loaf sugar, 1 glass of sherry, 1/2 teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, flour.

_Mode_.

--Ascertain that the eggs are extremely fresh, beat them well, strain and mix with them the cream, pounded sugar, wine, nutmeg, and as much flour as will make the batter nearly as thick as that for ordinary pancakes.

Make the frying-pan hot, wipe it with a clean cloth, pour in sufficient batter to make a thin pancake, and fry it for about 5 minutes.

Dish the pancakes piled one above the other, strew sifted sugar between each, and serve.

_Time_.

--About 5 minutes.

_Average cost_, with cream at 1s.

per pint, 2s.

3d.

_Sufficient_ to make 8 pancakes.

_Seasonable_ at any time, but specially served on Shrove Tuesday.

PEACH FRITTERS.

1469. INGREDIENTS.

--For the batter: 1/2 lb.

of flour, 1/2 oz.

of butter, 1/2 saltspoonful of salt, 2 eggs, milk;--peaches, hot lard or clarified dripping.

_Mode_.

--Make a nice smooth, batter in the same manner as directed in recipe No. 1393, and skin, halve, and stone the peaches, which should be quite ripe; dip them in the batter, and fry the pieces in hot lard or clarified dripping, which should be brought to the boiling-point before the peaches are put in.

From 8 to 10 minutes will be required to fry them, and, when done, drain them before the fire, and dish them on a white d'oyley.

Strew over plenty of pounded sugar, and serve.

_Time_.

--From 8 to 10 minutes to fry the fritters, 6 minutes to drain them.

_Average cost_, 1s.

_Sufficient_ for 4 or 5 persons.

_Seasonable_ in July, August, and September.

[Illustration: PEACH.

] PEACH.

--The peach and nectarine are amongst the most delicious of our fruits, and are considered as varieties of the same species produced by cultivation.

The former is characterized by a very delicate down, while the latter is smooth; but, as a proof of their identity as to species, trees have borne peaches in one part and nectarines in another; and even a single fruit has had down on one side and the other smooth.

The trees are almost exactly alike, as well as the blossoms.

Pliny states that the peach was originally brought from Persia, where it grows naturally, from which the name of Persica was bestowed upon it by the Romans; and some modern botanists apply this as the generic name, separating them from _Amygdalus_, or Almond, to which Linnaeus had united them.

Although they are not tropical, they require a great deal of warmth to bring them to perfection: hence they seldom ripen in this country, in ordinary seasons, without the use of walls or glass; consequently, they bear a high price.

In a good peach, the flesh is firm, the skin thin, of a deep bright colour next the sun and of a yellowish green next to the wall; the pulp is yellowish, full of highly-flavoured juice, the fleshy part thick, and the stone small.

Too much down is a sign of inferior quality.

This fruit is much used at the dessert, and makes a delicious preserve.

PEARS A L'ALLEMANDE.

1470. INGREDIENTS.

--6 to 8 pears, water, sugar, 2 oz.

of butter, the yolk of an egg, 1/2 oz.

of gelatine.

_Mode_.

--Peel and cut the pears into any form that may be preferred, and steep them in cold water to prevent them turning black; put them into a saucepan with sufficient cold water to cover them, and boil them with the butter and enough sugar to sweeten them nicely, until tender; then brush the pears over with the yolk of an egg, sprinkle them with sifted sugar, and arrange them on a dish.

Add the gelatine to the syrup, boil it up quickly for about 5 minutes, strain it over the pears, and let it remain until set.

The syrup may be coloured with a little prepared cochineal, which would very much improve the appearance of the dish.

_Time_.

--From 20 minutes to 1/2 hour to stew the pears; 5 minutes to boil the syrup.

_Average cost_, 1s.

3d.

_Sufficient_ for a large dish.

_Seasonable_ from August to February.

MOULDED PEARS.

1471. INGREDIENTS.

--4 large pears or 6 small ones, 8 cloves, sugar to taste, water, a small piece of cinnamon, 1/4 pint of raisin wine, a strip of lemon-peel, the juice of 1/2 lemon, 1/2 oz.

of gelatine.

_Mode_.

--Peel and cut the pears into quarters; put them into a jar with 3/4 pint of water, cloves, cinnamon, and sufficient sugar to sweeten the whole nicely; cover down the top of the jar, and bake the pears in a gentle oven until perfectly tender, but do not allow them to break.

When done, lay the pears in a plain mould, which should be well wetted, and boil 1/2 pint of the liquor the pears were baked in with the wine, lemon-peel, strained juice, and gelatine.

Let these ingredients boil quickly for 5 minutes, then strain the liquid warm over the pears; put the mould in a cool place, and when the jelly is firm, turn it out on a glass dish.

_Time_.

--2 hours to bake the pears in a cool oven.

_Average cost_, 1s.

3d.

_Sufficient_ for a quart mould.

_Seasonable_ from August to February PINEAPPLE FRITTERS.

(_An elegant Dish_.

) 1472. INGREDIENTS.

--A small pineapple, a small wineglassful of brandy or liqueur, 2 oz.

of sifted sugar; batter as for apple fritters No. 1393. _Mode_.

--This elegant dish, although it may appear extravagant, is really not so if made when pineapples are plentiful.

We receive them now in such large quantities from the West Indies, that at times they may be purchased at an exceedingly low rate: it would not, of course, be economical to use the pines which are grown in our English pineries for the purposes of fritters.

Pare the pine with as little waste as possible, cut it into rather thin slices, and soak these slices in the above proportion of brandy or liqueur and pounded sugar for 4 hours;

then make a batter the same as for apple fritters, substituting cream for the milk, and using a smaller quantity of flour; and, when this is ready, dip in the pieces of pine, and fry them in boiling lard from 5 to 8 minutes; turn them when sufficiently brown on one side, and, when done, drain them from the lard before the fire, dish them on a white d'oyley, strew over them sifted sugar, and serve quickly.

_Time_.

--5 to 8 minutes.

_Average cost_, when cheap and plentiful, 1s.

6d.

for the pine.

_Sufficient_ for 3 or 4 persons.

_Seasonable_ in July and August.

PINEAPPLE.

--The pineapple has not been known in Europe above two hundred years, and has not been cultivated in England much above a century.

It is stated that the first pineapples raised in Europe were by M. La Cour, of Leyden, about the middle of the 17th century; and it is said to have been first cultivated in England by Sir Matthew Decker, of Richmond.

In Kensington Palace, there is a picture in which Charles II.

is represented as receiving a pineapple from his gardener Rose, who is presenting it on his knees.

PLAIN FRITTERS.